Yes, the love affair with Mr O continues. Today the recipe is inspired by one from his book Jerusalem, and is, in turn, one of his own mother’s recipes. Momma knows best, we all know that.
As ever, I used what I had to hand, the original ingredients are in brackets following my version. It makes a stunning main course accompanied by a salad packed full of all your favourite leaves, or an excellent starter if you use smaller peppers and restrain yourself to eating only a half. Tough choice.
Ingredients (to serve 4 as a main course or 8 as a starter – easily halved, or even doubled for a party)
- 4 red bell peppers (which I halved and blanched in boiling water for about 3 minutes) (8 romano peppers, no need to blanch)
- 2 cups of homemade tomato sauce or (1 large tomato roughly chopped, 2 medium onions roughly chopped, about 500ml vegetable stock)
Stuffing
- 140g basmati rice
- 1 tbsp Allspice (1 ½ tbsp baharat)
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 400g minced pork (400g minced lamb)
- 2 ½ tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint (2 tbsp chopped dill, 1 ½ tbs chopped dried mint)
- 1 ½ tsp sugar
- Salt and black pepper
Put the rice in a saucepan and cover with lightly salted water. Boil for 4 minutes, drain, rinse and set aside.
Dry fry the spices, add the olive oil and onion and fry until the onion is soft. Pour this and the stuffing ingredients into a large bowl and mix). Season.
Stuff either the half peppers or if using the romanos cut a slit lengthways without cutting in half completely and stuff each pepper.
If not using previously made tomato sauce, place the chopped tomato and onion into a large pan with a tight fitting lid (or pour your sauce in). Sit the peppers on top, cover with a lid and either simmer on the stove top on a low heat for about an hour or cook in a medium oven until the peppers are tender. If using the stove top, make sure the sauce does not dry out by adding a little water if necessary.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
Yes ,at all cost!
Superb dish in summer !
It is good for summer as you can serve it cold or at room temperature!
Restraining myself has never been one of my strong suits when it comes to food. I haven’t made stuffed peppers for a long while and these look so much for inviting than what I have made.
Have a beautiful week and hope you have been able to resubscribe to my blog – sorry I can’t fix it for you.🙂 Mandy xo
Restraint is for others! I don’t make stuffed peppers very often, but these were a big hit. Still not getting blog notifications (and this also happens with 2 r 3 others) but I just remind myself to pop over and see what’s happening your way J
That looks fantastic! I haven’t done stuffed pepper for ages either, but they are in season so I definitely should give them a go😉
Stuffed peppers are a bit of a faff (spelling?!) but these were worth making!
I seem to remember making one each and when it came to eating it thought that two each would have been a better number😉
Two is most definitely a better number!
🙂
Those are the prettiest stuffed peppers ever.
Thanks Greg J
I really want to dive into that dish of peppers. I’ve never made stuffed peppers, but these are inspiring me!
They are a bit time consuming to make, but a great make ahead dish and wonderful flavours!
I am obsessed with the stuff that Ottolenghi puts out, so I’ll have to try these Ott-inspired ones! Can’t wait for his next book to come out either.
Me too – the recipes are mostly not over complicated but still very exciting and packed full of flavour!
I too love Mr. O. I make a version of this that my own mother makes. It’s really irresistible.
I bet your mum’s version is even better!
Sounds awfully nice. I suppose I could… 🙂
Or maybe you could just let someone else do it and go for a fabulous walk – more fun!
Well done, Tanya! I have to say that your version is more appealing to me than the original. As much as I love pork products of every description, using lamb here is a great choice. I’d love to make this and will start searching for romano peppers. Meanwhile, I think maybe I should open my copy of Jerusalem and do more than just read it and look at the pretty pictures. 🙂
Oh that book is so good (well, in my mind it is!) there are so many recipes that shout to me “cook me, make me, taste me”! But then I am a bit odd😉
Absolutely no problem with your ‘love affair’ tho’ have not used O’s books in the interim🙂 ! Methinks these are what we call ‘banana peppers’ here and I do stuff them regularly. OK – have made it very easy for myself during a fast, fast time: love the lamb, which means my fave of baharat, mint and a good passata . . . am certain everyone trying will enjoy!!!!!
I have a banana pepper plant in England and unbelievably it has peppers on it – mine are a little hot (which I love) and the romano ones just taste like normal bell peppers. But now I want to make it again with the spicy ones J
The stuffing sounds delicious Tanya🙂
It was good because it was different!
I have a pile of peppers sitting in the kitchen, looking for a purpose….they just found it:)
Or you could just grill them….and pour yourself a lovely glass of rose!
These look amazing Tanya! I’ve never tried stuffed peppers before, but reading through your ingredient list, I can imagine how delicious they would be!
Glad you liked them Margot J
I have never been a stuffed capsicum person. I don’t know why but capsicum doesn’t turn me on in big chunks. I adore its silky smokiness when it is charred or its ability to blend in seamlessly with the crowd when it is chopped or in slices but in big halves it takes on a bit of a waxy texture and the skin toughens. If anyone can rescue a half a capsicum from waxy hell it is Mr Ottolenghi and if anyone can pull an Ottolenghi classic off it’s YOU Ms Chica🙂
I have to confess, my favourite way to eat these is grilled too – with some olive oil and a little lemon juice squeezed over and plenty of bread for dipping and dunking and wine for washing it all down J
I am drooling copiously like Homer Simpson when he is faced with a mountain of do-nuts … GRAAGGGLEAARRGGHH!😉
I have a hanky for you….😉
A roll of kitchen towel would be better…make that 2!
I love stuffed peppers and have peppers in the garden almost ready for picking. Thanks for sharing your and Mr. O’s recipe.🙂
You are most welcome Karen! It’s the first year for many years we’re not in Spain for the summer and our veggie garden, so we’ve not been able to enjoy our home grown peppers – am envious of you (in a nice way, of course)!
I would not be able to show restraint with such a delicious meal!
It was tough!
dish full of love for cuisine loved ones
you always make me inspired to always want to provide a simple means of love to your loved ones : * )